General Visitors & Personal Photography
When you visit the Kansas City Museum during regular operating hours (Thursday – Sunday), you are allowed to take personal photographs during your visit while you enjoy the exhibits and amenities. Personal photography is allowed in Corinthian Hall (the mansion) and on the Museum grounds except for the north side of the property currently restricted by fencing to provide a barrier to buildings under restoration and renovation.
Personal photography is limited to the use of cell phones and small handheld cameras that are set to take non-flash photos. Please note that tripods, selfie sticks, photo umbrellas, and any other camera equipment are prohibited.
Personal photography is permitted for private use only. Photographs may not be published, sold, or otherwise distributed for commercial purposes. Visitors may post images from their visit on personal social media pages, as long as they are not used for profit.
The Kansas City Museum may photograph or videotape visitors for educational and promotional purposes, and attendance at the Museum is implied consent for the use of visitors’ likenesses.
The Kansas City Museum reserves the right to withhold or withdraw permission to photograph on the premises. The Museum’s staff has the authority to approach and verify the intent of photography, and to enforce the photography policy.
While personal photography is encouraged during your visit, you must also adhere to the following:
- Ensure that other guests and visitors will not be disrupted while pictures are being taken and that stairwells, stairways, doors, and all other areas in the Museum cannot be blocked off or restricted from the public in any way.
- Any visitor taking photographs who causes damage to property or other persons on the premises of the Museum will be held liable.
- Visitors taking photographs assume the risk of personal injury or damage to the property while on the Museum’s premises.
- Visitors taking photographs must be respectful of other visitors and staff while taking photographs. The Kansas City Museum is not responsible for any uses of visitor photography that infringe upon third-party copyrights.
- Bags, backpacks, live floral arrangements, and other props are not permitted.
- During regular hours of operation, photographs are shot in natural light only (no artificial lights, reflectors, or diffusers allowed).
Professional Photography – Requires a Venue Rental
Professional photography in Corinthian Hall and on the Museum grounds is considered a venue rental and requires an advance rental booking and fee. Professional photography includes photo shoots for but not limited to special occasions such as engagements and weddings, proms, graduations, family reunions, celebrations of life, quinceañeras, headshots, etc.
Professional photography is allowed in Corinthian Hall in designated areas and on the Museum grounds in designated areas on Tuesday and Wednesday when the Museum is closed to the public. Click Here to review full price list, capacity, and restrictions for venue rentals.
Professional photographers must be prepared to furnish their Certificate of Liability Insurance and Permit when approached by Museum staff. All photographers and the photoshoot attendees must be mindful of the Museum’s outdoor infrastructure i.e., stairs, sidewalks, flower beds, fencing, etc.
The Museum has the right to halt any professional photography that is deemed disruptive.
Please note that if you show up at the Museum for professional photography and have not booked and paid for a venue rental, we will not be able to accommodate your professional photography.
Special Occasions & Personal Photography – Requires a Fee
If you drop by the Museum during regular operating hours (Thursday – Sunday) only to take a personal photograph for a special occasion (i.e. prom or graduation) and not visit the Museum, please note that we may be able to accommodate your personal photography under the following guidelines:
- Staff is available to escort you to a designated area in Corinthian Hall or on the Museum grounds.
- There are no more than four people in your group.
- Each person pays a fee of $10 at the admissions desk in Corinthian Hall before taking the photos.
- You spend no more than 15 minutes taking the personal photo.
- Photography is limited to the use of cell phones that are set to take non-flash photos. Please note that tripods, selfie sticks, photo umbrellas, and any other camera equipment are prohibited.
Commercial Photography – Requires a Venue Rental
Commercial photography in Corinthian Hall and on the Museum grounds is considered a venue rental and requires an advance appointment and rental fee. Commercial photography is allowed in Corinthian Hall in designated areas and on the Museum grounds in designated areas by appointment on Tuesday and Wednesday when the Museum is closed to the public.
Photo shoots for commercial purposes (advertising, music videos, training videos, etc.) must be approved and scheduled in advance by the Director of Visitor Experience and Public Programming. Fees are subject to change depending on the scope and capacity of the shoot. Click Here to review full price list, capacity, and restrictions for venue rentals.
All equipment used for the shoot is subject to approval by Museum’s staff and must be approved in advance; any additional equipment will not be permitted in the Museum. The use of large equipment such as tracks, dollies or boom mics must be approved in advance. The use of battery packs instead of cords is strongly encouraged due to minimal outlet availability.
The Museum has the right to halt any photo shoot that is deemed disruptive.
Please note that if you show up at the Museum for a commercial photography shoot and have not booked and paid for a venue rental, we will not be able to accommodate your commercial photography.
Drone Policy
As a public institution, drones are allowed on the exterior grounds of the Museum. However, drone operators must be licensed as required by the FAA and must inform the proper authorities as appropriate about operational plans. Further, it is requested that drone operators do not hover their device over people and that, to the degree possible, that any photographs and/or video is limited to the Museum instead of people. The Kansas City Museum reserves the right to alter flight patterns or stop any drone photography at any time.
All commercial drone photography must follow the steps/guidelines noted above.
Drone operators assume the risk of personal injury or damage to property while on the Museum’s premises.